


I built a place for you to land

by ljummen (Vendelin)



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Chocolatier Geno, Kid Fic, Lots of chocolate truffles, M/M, Non hockey player Evgeni Malkin, Parent Sidney Crosby, Sid is briefly not a great person, communicating through notes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-27 21:31:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13889535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vendelin/pseuds/ljummen
Summary: “Hello.”Zhenya looks up, and there’s a small boy on the other side of the counter. He smiles so wide that Zhenya can easily tell that he’s missing one of his two front teeth—kind of like Sasha but more adorable—and he’s got dimples in his round cheeks.In which Geno is a chocolatier and Sid really loves the truffles his son keeps buying for him.





	I built a place for you to land

**Author's Note:**

  * For [myotparmada](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myotparmada/gifts), [momentofclarity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/momentofclarity/gifts).



> I definitely didn't research enough about being a chocolatier for this fic. 98% fluff. Huge, huge thanks to werebear for the incredible beta work! I also crossposted this on my [tumblr](http://ljummen.tumblr.com). I hope you enjoy!

 

The first time Zhenya meets Adam, they’ve just opened up _Bon Bon Bon_ (yes, Sasha thinks he’s hilarious) and Zhenya is placing the new truffles with mango and passion fruit in the glass display cases. The shop is on the smaller side, with no space for tables and chairs. The area open to customers is taken up mostly by the counter and the displays. There are some shelves on the opposite wall, containing the less exclusive chocolates that are already pre-packaged in boxes. Zhenya thinks they’re a waste of his culinary training, but Sasha has dug his heels in—apparently they need something less exclusive as well. Business has been slow, but that’s only to be expected when they’re just starting up. Zhenya can’t help but worry, though. He came to the U.S. for this, investing all his money, and if it doesn’t work out…

“Hello.”

Zhenya looks up, and there’s a small boy on the other side of the counter. He smiles so wide that Zhenya can easily tell that he’s missing one of his two front teeth—kind of like Sasha but more adorable—and he’s got dimples in his round cheeks. It’s winter and snowy outside, so the child in front of him is wearing a knitted hat and matching mittens. He’s got large, brown eyes and an errant curl has escaped his hat and down his forehead.

“Hello,” Zhenya says and looks around for Sasha. His English is still stilted at best. Of course, Sasha is nowhere to be seen when he’s actually needed somewhere. “You want chocolate?”

The boy nods, not letting Zhenya go with his gaze. That’s when Zhenya notices the woman standing behind him. She’s rather tall, close to six feet, probably, with light hair, but the same shape to her eyes as the child. She smiles at Zhenya.

“He wants to bring a present for his dad,” she explains. “Right, Adam?”

“I’m gonna stay a _whole week_ ,” Adam tells Zhenya, and he’s practically glowing.

“Do activity?” Zhenya tries, and shit, he really needs to practice his English. When Adam frowns like he’s not following, Zhenya adds: “Sorry. English bad.”

At that, Adam smiles again and places his mitted hands on the counter, resting his chin on top of them. “It’s okay. My teacher says to practice reading a lot. Maybe that could work for you too?”

“ _Adam_ ,” his mother admonishes.

“I’m just trying to _help_.”

In the end, Adam takes thirty five minutes to pick five truffles for his dad and holds the little plastic bag like it’s a treasure in both of his hands, as they leave. Zhenya goes to the library the next day, and checks out a bunch of kids books. Adam is right. It does help a lot.

**◊**

The next time Zhenya meets Adam, it’s six months later and he’s lost his _other_ front tooth and the new one looks too big for his face. It’s warm out, so his curls are running wild on his head.

“Hello,” he says and Zhenya thinks he might’ve grown an inch since last time, or maybe it’s the curls adding the extra height.

“Hello Adam,” Zhenya says and grins when Adam’s entire face lights up, as though Zhenya remembering his name is the highlight of his day.

He’s alone in the shop today, but Zhenya can see his mom waiting outside through the windows.

“You want chocolate today?” Zhenya asks.

“For my dad,” Adam explains. “He loves chocolate and he gets really happy when I give them to him.”

“You stay with your papa?” Zhenya picks up one of the little boxes they use for gift wrapping. “Is special price for four or six truffles today.”

“I bet he wants six,” Adam decides and slides over to the left, staring into the case with today’s selection of truffles. He mimes the words on the signs and moves his entire head a little as he reads, instead of just his eyes. Zhenya isn’t in a rush, he’ll let Adam take another thirty minutes to decide if that’s what he needs. “I’m staying four days.”

“You do often?”

Adam shrugs. “Dad plays hockey. Sometimes I only stay a day or maybe two, when he’s away a lot. But I love when I can stay for longer.” He takes a little breath, biting his lip. “He’s my dad.”

“Parents divorce?” Geno asks.

Adam shrugs. “Yep, for always.”

Oh, so maybe they never were together to begin with. “What you think he want? I have new raspberry licorice. You think he like?”

Zhenya points at the truffles. He spent the morning making a small pyramid out of them, and he’s sworn to never make round truffles ever again.

“ _Yes_ ,” Adam decides, after staring at them for a while. “Take two?”

Zhenya spends forty minutes with Adam, while he carefully picks out every truffle that his dad might like and then Zhenya ties a nice, pink string around the gift box.

Again, Adam holds it in the palms of his hands like it’s a pile of gold.

**◊**

The third time Zhenya meets Adam is only a couple of months later. He is a bit tan this time, as though he’s spent a lot of time outdoors, and he has a band aid on each knee.

“Spend time with Papa?” Zhenya asks when Adam trots into the shop with a few bills in a firm grasp.

“It’s his birthday tomorrow,” Adam explains with a serious face. “I’m gonna be with him all week.”

“You want chocolate birthday present?”

Adam nods gravelly. “Do you have anything special?”

Zhenya could’ve created something special for Adam’s father had he known, but alas, he’s got the usual truffles today.

“Last time, you give him champagne truffle?”

Adam cocks his head to the side and frowns for a moment, before he shakes his head. “No.”

“You think he like?”

“Is there _bubbles_?” Adam asks and wrinkles his nose.

“No, only flavor.”

“I’ll ask Mom.” Adam rushes out, curls bouncing, and it only takes a couple of seconds before he comes back. “She says yes.”

He doesn’t need as long to pick the truffles this time, and goes with three champagne truffles, one raspberry licorice and two tiramisu truffles. Zhenya wraps them neatly in a gift box, one of the more expensive ones which they usually charge for. Adam more or less counts as a regular, he figures, and business is picking up anyway.

“Wait!” Adam says when Zhenya is about to hand him the box. He dashes out again and when he comes back, he holds a card in his hands along with the crumpled bills. “It’s a card for my dad and you have to sign it too! You helped.”

Zhenya doesn’t really think he helped a whole lot—he sold his truffles, it’s his job. However, Adam has a determined look on his face, and he’s spent enough time with Sergei’s daughters to know when it’s a lost battle even before it begins.

“You think he want?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Adam picks up the pen from the counter and puts it in Zhenya’s hand. “He loves chocolate.”

Not that it’s exactly the same thing, but Zhenya will take that as enough confirmation. Speaking English and writing in English are two completely different things, so he chews his lip for a while before he adds a small line below Adam’s “HAPY BIRTHDAY DAD LOVE ADAM”: _Enjoy chocolate – Evgeni @ Bon Bon Bon_

Adam grins when he mouths the words Zhenya has put there. “Ev-geni, that’s your name?”

“Yes. Is Russian.”

“My name is Adam, it’s English.”

Despite already knowing Adam’s name for months, Zhenya can’t help but melt at the sentiment. He bites his lip to keep his face serious as he reaches over and shakes Adam’s hand. “Nice to meet, Adam.”

**◊**

It’s only a week later when Adam shows up again. This time, he’s carrying a card in his hands. How many birthdays does his dad have?

“Hello Evgeni!” He reaches out and it takes Zhenya a moment to realize that he wants to shake hands, like last time.

“Hello Adam, so nice see you again.”

“My dad _loved_ the present,” Adam tells him and grows at least two inches as he speaks, and preens.

“So happy to hear!” Zhenya rests his forearms on the counter to make himself closer to Adam’s height. “What he think about champagne?”

“Loved them the _best_! He didn’t even let me try!”

Zhenya laughs. “We do good job!”

“This is from my dad.” Adam hands him the card. It’s a postcard of a squirrel with big, cartoon eyes and his cheeks full of food. Something tells him that Adam picked it out. On the back it says: _Evgeni, Thank you very much for the amazing truffles. Adam speaks very highly of you. Sincerely_ and then there’s a signature that Zhenya can’t make out.

“Very nice,” Zhenya says. “I’m put up on wall. You think he like?”

“Super much!”

Adam watches eagerly as Zhenya finds a pin and puts it up on the wall behind the counter with the squirrel visible.

“Good?” he asks Adam and looks at him for confirmation.

“Yeah!” Adam decides and holds out his fist for Zhenya to bump it. “I’ll tell him!”

“You only come with card or you want truffles also?” Zhenya asks.

“My dad is the master truffle eater,” Adam tells him and puts a few bills on the counter.

“You think he want try new sample? Master truffle eater know what is good and what is bad.”

Adam’s entire being lights up. “You’d _do_ that?”

Zhenya puts together a box of eight truffles of different flavors. He writes a note too, just because Adam insists on it. _Dear Master Truffle Eater, New flavors we try. Let know if you like or not, thank you - Evgeni @ Bon Bon Bon_

“Adam, what your favorite animal?” he asks then.

It takes Adam about ten minutes to decide, and then: “Ducks.”

**◊**

Zhenya is creating tiny milk chocolate ducks in the kitchen, when Sasha sticks his horrible head inside.

“You have a visitor,” he sing-songs.

“Maybe you help,” Zhenya says with a sigh.

“Can’t, he specifically asked for the Master Truffle Maker.” Sasha rolls his eyes, but he’s got a soft smile.

Oh, Zhenya knows someone who speaks like that.

He cleans his hands and is still drying them on a towel, when he steps out in the shop. Adam is there, and it’s only been a week since last time. He’s bouncing where he stands.

“ _Evgeni!_ ” he exclaims when he sees Zhenya and reaches out, standing on his tiptoes to reach over the counter.

“Adam!” Zhenya shakes his hand, and when Adam forms his into a little fist, Zhenya bumps it too.

“My dad is _in love_ with your chocolate,” he says and sticks a note in Zhenya’s hand. “He keeps being frustrated because he’s not _supposed_ to eat chocolate, you know? But yours is too good.”

“Very happy he like.” Zhenya unfolds the note and there’s a lot of text on it. Skimming it, he thinks it’s a review on every single one of the eight truffles he sent Adam’s dad last week.

Adam bounces from leg to leg, watching Zhenya read like a hawk, but it’s too much text for him to be able to read quickly.

“You think your papa want new truffles?”

Adam’s responding grin is answer enough.

Zhenya puts together a new box of flavors he’s trying—the secret stash he keeps in the back, while he’s still evaluating if they’re good enough for the customers or not. If Adam’s dad wants to try something new, and give such a detailed opinion on them as he did this time around, Zhenya is nothing but grateful. Sasha is great with the customers and the business part of the business, so to speak, but his taste buds must have died years ago from his vodka consumption during his teens. Zhenya was there to witness it all.

He makes a little bag with a few of the ducks as well, tying a yellow ribbon around it, before he heads out to Adam.

“Ducks for you, favorite animal, yes?”

“For me?” Adam accepts the bag with a look of awe on his face.

“If mama and papa say is okay to eat. Ask before, okay?” Then, Zhenya puts the box on the counter. “You think I write note to your dad?”

“He likes the notes,” Adam says without looking away from the five chocolate ducks. “I’m gonna name them.”

Zhenya bites the inside of his cheek and tries to remember how to English. Then, he writes:

_Thank you for note. Will read after work for best concentrate. Here is new box with new flavor. Not in shop. Maybe you tell if they taste good for sell? - Evgeni @ Bon Bon Bon_

He works later than usual that night, working on a few new ideas for interesting flavor combinations. Mostly it’s because going home to his tiny, sterile apartment kind of sucks. In bed, he reads the note from Adam’s dad.

_Evgeni,_

_I have now tried the truffles you sent me and I have listed my opinion of them below. First, I’d like to thank you for taking your time with Adam. His mom has told me that he spends the better part of an hour in your shop every time they stop by. He won’t stop talking about you, and I wanted to tell you that you’ve made quite the impression._

_I shouldn’t eat this much chocolate, but I can’t resist. Here’s my evaluation:_

Zhenya goes over the different truffles. Adam’s dad liked all of them, clearly, but he’s put a star next to the ones he liked the most. He reads it all again, with his chest swelling with pride. At the bottom, there’s the signature again that Zhenya can’t make out.

**◊**

It keeps going like that. Zhenya sending Adam’s dad truffles for evaluation and reworking the recipes based on his reviews. Needless to say, Adam’s dad’s favorites become top sellers in their shop almost as soon as Zhenya starts selling them to the public.

With every box going back and forth with Adam, Zhenya sends and receives a new note. They become increasingly friendly and less formal with every go. Adam is his expert on the animal line of milk chocolate creations he’s launching just before Christmas. He sends Adam home with two boxes the day before Christmas Eve. One contains every type of animal from his line, and the other is a collection of Adam’s dad’s favorite truffles based off of his reviews from the past few months.

“Merry Christmas,” Zhenya says as he hands them over. “Is present from me. One for you, one for your papa.”

“Thank you, Evgeni,” Adam says, eyes big like it’s the last thing he expected. “I didn’t bring you a gift.”

“No need for gift,” Zhenya reassures him. “You help me make best chocolate. Is best gift for me.”

Adam looks skeptical, but nods finally.

The next day, however, as Zhenya is opening the shop Adam is standing outside, waiting for him.

“Merry Christmas!” he says, cheeks red from the cold,  and holds out an envelope to Zhenya. “My dad said we had to get you a gift, because you gave us gifts.”

“Not have to,” Zhenya protests. Really, they are a big part of their business by now, and the least he can do is give them something as a thanks. “But thank you.”

Adam steps inside the door, practically vibrating with excitement, and watches as Zhenya opens the envelope. Just as he’s about to take out the folded paper in there, Adam blurts:

“It’s tickets to a Pens game!”

Tickets to a hockey game? Those are really expensive, and is way too much considering that Zhenya gave them chocolate.

“The seats are right by the _glass_ ,” Adam explains.

Shit. That’s probably around $200 right there.

“Dad says you can bring a date, maybe? So he picked two tickets.”

“Oh,” Zhenya manages finally and closes the envelope, before he opens it again. “Not have boyfriend so can’t bring date. Is okay I bring friend?”

“Sure!” Adam shifts weight from one foot to the other. “My dad doesn’t have a boyfriend, either. Only my mom has a boyfriend.”

“You like mama’s boyfriend?” Zhenya asks.

“Yeah, Mike’s really good at hide and seek, and playstation. Also Mom loves him a lot.”

“But dad not have boyfriend?” Zhenya asks carefully. A kid Adam’s age probably knows the difference between a girlfriend and boyfriend, so it’s not likely to be a mistake. Zhenya has just never thought of Adam’s dad as anything but a customer.

“Nope.” Adam shrugs. ”He’s always busy, so maybe that’s why.”

“How old is papa?” Zhenya asks. Adam’s mom is around his age, but that doesn’t have to mean anything.

“Maybe eighty? I don’t know.”

Zhenya snorts and then there’s a car honking outside.

“Oh, I have to go!”

“First, I say thank you for gift. I’m write quick note for your papa, okay?”

“Okay,” Adam agrees.

Zhenya grabs a piece of receipt paper and jots down a thank you note, and also mentions that he’s going to bring a friend to the game.

Adam takes the note from him when Zhenya offers it. But then, instead of leaving, he gives Zhenya a sideways glance and weighs back and forth on his feet. He’s just about to ask what’s wrong, when Adam says:

“Can I give you a hug? It’s Christmas.”

“Of course can hug!” Zhenya crouches down and opens his arms for Adam, giving him a firm, but brief hug. “Thank so much for gift and Merry Christmas.”

He watches as Adam disappears down the road and climbs into a big SUV. It’s not his mom’s car, so Zhenya assumes that it’s his dad. It’s too far away for him to see the driver, though. Typical.

**◊**

He thinks a lot about Adam’s dad during the holidays when the shop is closed. They’ve exchanged letters weekly, sometimes even two or three times a week. Zhenya has saved them all in an old shoebox in his closet, and after a dinner at Sergei’s, he reads them all over again in front of the TV.

Perhaps it’s strange that he’s thought of Adam’s dad as a friend lately, considering that the only thing he knows about him is what his handwriting looks like, and that his kid is growing up to be a great person. Zhenya knows that Adam’s dad works a lot, and that he plays hockey in his spare time. And that he doesn’t have a boyfriend.

It’s the sort of revelation that’s now tilting Zhenya’s worldview.

He reads the note that came with the tickets for the third time that evening. It’s the best one, because the handwriting is less precise, rushed in a way that the others aren’t. He likes to think that Adam’s dad had a few minutes to spare when he wrote it down, before sending Adam in with the tickets.

_Evgeni,_

_Thank you very much for the chocolate. Adam has been over the moon, despite not having opened his gift yet. As a responsible adult, I opened mine as soon as he was asleep._

_I can’t believe you’ve remembered every single on of my favorites. I’m sorry I can’t repay the same kind of favor, but I hope you enjoy hockey. I made sure to get you two tickets, in case you have an S.O. who enjoys the game too._

_Merry Christmas!_

There’s the signature at the bottom again. Zhenya still hasn’t managed to make out what it says. It looks like Adam’s dad makes the same signature a lot, though, because they’re all almost identical on every note he’s received. He’s probably a lawyer, signing papers and contracts all day, and still making enough money to have his kid come in and buy expensive chocolate several times a week these days. They even increased their prices a while back, after Sasha claimed that they’ve now established themselves as fancy enough for the rich people. The first time Adam came in after that, he just went back out to collect more money from his mom and came back in, despite Zhenya being more than ready to sell to him for the previous price. Sasha was right, though. Since then, their clientele has steadily grown and their business increased remarkably.

Lately, they’ve had an influx of buff guys coming in for gifts to their wives and girlfriends, and sometimes Zhenya wonders if they’re a part of the same club or company, because they are such a specific type of person. They’re not sophisticated, or dressed in suits, some of them are even missing teeth; still Zhenya can’t miss the color of their credit cards.

He shakes himself and reads the note one more time before he goes to bed.  

The game is incredible. Zhenya brings Sasha, and the seats are great. He can see everything from here. Even Crosby’s huge smile as he scores his second goal for the night, putting them in the lead just towards the end of the second period.

Zhenya doesn’t know much about the Penguins, but he’s seen the players’ faces all over the city. Crosby is even more pretty in person.

He keeps an eye out for Adam or any parent of his, but can’t spot him anywhere. Adam didn’t specifically say that he was going to the game, too, but Zhenya got the impression that going to an NHL game isn’t exactly a rarity for him.

“I think we made the right choice for our business,” Sasha says when they trudge through the sea of people after the game has ended. “You even get us hockey tickets as a thank you, Zhenya. Who would’ve thought?”

Zhenya shrugs. “It’s just the one customer.”

“It always starts with one customer,” Sasha says, the wise-ass.

That evening, Zhenya writes a longer note to Adam’s dad than he ever has before. Usually he scribbles something down while Adam waits or picks out the next gift to his dad, but this time it’s important that he makes it clear how much he appreciates the gift.

Biting his lip, hunched over his coffee table, Zhenya adds: _Maybe I repay with dinner in future?_ on a whim after firmly stating that he’s definitely single, no _boyfriend_ specifically, so that Adam’s dad knows what kind of dinner they’re talking about here. He’s also detailed a recap of the game and his thoughts, in case Adam’s dad wasn’t there himself. It’s only fair, isn’t it?

**◊**

Adam doesn’t come in for two weeks after that, excluding the pause over the holidays, which is unusually long for him these days. Zhenya can’t help but wonder if he messed up somehow, despite not having been in contact with Adam or his dad at all.

Then, one Friday, just as Zhenya has opened the shop, a familiar face shows up in the small window in their door. Adam waves eagerly, a huge smile on his face, before he opens the door and steps inside.

“ _Evgeni!_ ”

“Adam!”

Zhenya can’t quite hide how relieved he is. Just this morning he thought about taking the letter to Adam’s dad home with him again, after having it laying in the register since the day after the game.

Adam’s got a bit of a tan, despite the cold, so maybe he’s been on vacation somewhere warm. Zhenya is beyond jealous.

“I’ve been to Hawaii with my mom, and then at my dad’s all week, but now I’m here!”

Zhenya can’t help but smile. “Can see. Was good trip?”

“It was great.” Adam folds his arms on the counter and rests his chin on top of them. “Kind of warm, but I like warm? My dad doesn’t so much, so it was fun.”

“How’s mama?”

“She’s good. She and Mike got married, so it was _awesome_.”

“Marry?” Zhenya looks around for something to send with Adam as a congratulations. “On Hawaii?”

Adam nods. “She _cried_ she was so happy.”

“You happy, too?”

“Yeah, I like Mike and my mom loves him.” Adam sighs. “Now it’s just my dad who needs to get married, too.”

Zhenya is not getting into that right now, not before he’s sent Adam’s mom a gift. “Will see mama soon?”

“Today, my dad will drop me off.”  

“You think she and Mike want some truffles? Late wedding congratulation?”

“I didn’t bring money.” Adam scrunches his face up. “I’ll go ask Dad.”

“Is gift,” Zhenya says before Adam has a chance to leave.

“Like for me and Dad at Christmas?” Adam tilts his head to the side, considering.

“Yes!”

“I think she’d like that.”

Adam tells him about his trip to Hawaii, and every fish he saw, while Zhenya hands over the letter he wrote for Adam’s dad, and then puts together a gift box of truffles to Adam’s mom. He listens carefully to Adam’s stories, but doesn’t say much, until Adam says: “I forgot to say but my dad wanted to see you.”

Zhenya almost drops the lid to the box, but manages a quite ungraceful save. “Oh?” he tries to sound casual. “When?”

“He’s just parking the car, so any time now probably.”

 _Shit_.

Zhenya can’t remember if he brushed his hair this morning, or if he put on deodorant. His clothes are messy, stained with chocolate, and if only Adam had given him a bit of a warning he would’ve made sure he looks appropriate.

It’s too late now anyway, and Zhenya concentrates on tying the ribbon around the box and considers praying that Adam’s dad is fifty years old and completely unattractive.

“There he is!” Adam says, obviously delighted, as the bell over the door dings.

When Zhenya looks up, eyes falling on the man who just stepped inside the door, time stops.

Maybe Zhenya should’ve spotted the similarities right away. They’ve got the same curls, the same color to their eyes, and the same mouth. It just never occurred to him that Adam’s dad would be Sidney Crosby.

Sidney gives him a tentative smile as he steps inside the door, pushing the fur-lined hood to his coat back from his face. His hair is a lot shorter than Adam’s, but looks soft and definitely curly.

“Dad, this is Evgeni,” Adam says, maybe unnecessarily, as Sidney steps closer to the counter. Zhenya can’t remember how to speak English right now. He’s been sending stupid notes to Sidney Crosby, asking for his opinions on _truffles_. If he could die right now, that would be amazing.

His shock must be apparent on his face, because Sidney’s smile falters somewhat as he says: “I take it Adam didn’t tell you my name?”

“No,” Zhenya manages. “Sorry. I’m so inappropriate. Send you notes.”

Maybe Sidney is here to tell him to stop? Had Zhenya _known_ he would’ve never kept sending notes.

Sidney’s gaze lingers behind him, and when Zhenya glances over his shoulder, he spots the squirrel card that he got from...well _Sidney_ , that first time.

“He likes the notes,” Adam pipes up, and Sidney’s cheeks go pink. “Also Evgeni wrote you a new letter, Dad.”

Zhenya can only look on, horrified, as Sidney accepts the letter that Adam sticks out to him. There are so many things going wrong at the same time right now.

“Thank you,” Sidney says, eyes on Zhenya, then he spots the box on the counter. “Did you buy more chocolate, buddy?”

“No, Evgeni is giving that to Mom and Mike.”

“Is marriage gift,” Zhenya clarifies.

Sidney smiles, but his gaze is searching. “That’s very nice of you. I’m sure she’ll be happy.”

“I hope she like.”

“I don’t think it’s possible to dislike anything you make.”

Zhenya’s face heats and he can’t stop his fingers from trembling, no matter how hard he clenches his fists beneath the counter. He hopes that they don’t notice, as he pushes the box across the counter and nods to Adam. “Should go to Mama. Thanks for fish stories.”

“I’ll tell you about the jellyfish next time!”

Sidney’s face makes a weird thing, somewhere between confusion and frustration. He smiles at Zhenya before he opens the door to let Adam walk out first. “Nice to meet you, Evgeni.”

Zhenya’s tongue is stuck to the roof of his mouth, and he can’t find his words until the door has already closed behind them, the bell dinging.

The rest of the day is a blur. He’s beyond embarrassed. He should’ve known, probably, shouldn’t he? And now Sidney Crosby has a letter where Zhenya asks him out to _dinner_.

Five minutes before they close up and Zhenya is in the back room, putting the chocolate back in the fridge over night, the bell dings again. He sighs and wipes his hands on the apron, praying that the customer doesn’t want anything he just put away, as he heads into the shop.

Maybe he’s dreaming. Maybe he really did die hours ago. But standing at the counter, hands deep into his jeans pockets, is Sidney Crosby. He’s alone this time.

“Hello,” Zhenya says, his stomach tying itself into knots. Is he going to get sued? Or asked to back off before Sidney files for a restraining order?

Sidney looks up and smiles, though. It’s a little shy. “Hey.”

The silence falls between them for a while.

“Run out of chocolate?”

That earns him a laugh. “No, I have a few left.”

Sidney bites his lip, and he’s so clearly debating something with himself that Zhenya doesn’t want to interrupt. So he waits.

“I read your letter,” Sidney says finally. “I read it, and I realized that you wrote it before you even knew who I am.”

“Yes.” Zhenya hunches his shoulders and looks away. “Sorry.”

“Did you change your mind?” Sidney asks, and there’s something sharp to his gaze, like he’s ready to run out any second now.

“Change mind?” Zhenya asks.

“About the dinner.” Sidney takes a slow breath. “Did you change your mind because I’m me?”

He can’t think. He must’ve misunderstood somewhere. Did Sidney Crosby just ask him if he’s changed his mind about having dinner?

Zhenya clears his throat and shakes his head, as he tries to find his words. “No, not change mind. Just… I’m not know is you. So worry all day I’m offend.”

The lines around Sidney’s eyes smooth out and his shoulders drop away from his ears. “I just assumed Adam had told you who I am, especially when I got you the tickets for the game. I wanted to come see you today, since he talks about you all the time, and you know, he’s right about the notes. I like them.”

Zhenya can hear his own heartbeat in his ears. All he can do is smile helplessly.

Sidney smiles back, and if Zhenya thought he was pretty on the ice after scoring a goal, it’s nothing compared to what he looks like now—so unguarded in a way Zhenya can’t imagine him being often.

“When are you off?” Sidney asks. “Are you free tonight?”

Zhenya rarely has plans, and tonight isn’t any different. “We go to dinner?”

“If you want. I’d like to take you to dinner. Nothing fancy, just regular dinner.”

“Maybe half hour.” He can rush clean up and come in early tomorrow instead.

“Is it okay if I wait?”

Zhenya tries to remember what clothes he wore to work today, but he’s drawing a blank. “Yes. Not dress for dinner. Is okay?”

“Of course.” Sidney gestures to himself, like his tailored jeans or soft-looking sweater would make Zhenya feel any better. “It’s nothing fancy, like I said.”

Zhenya disappears into the back room as soon as he’s locked the front door. The most important part is getting the chocolate in the fridge—he can leave the rest for tomorrow. As he changes into his jeans and t-shirt, he tries to get his hair under control with the help of the reflection on the fridge door. Thankfully, he doesn’t smell of anything but chocolate, as he grabs his coat from the hook on the wall in the staff room. His skin is buzzing and he’s having a hard time wrapping his head around what’s really going on.

He wouldn’t have been surprised to find the shop empty, as he walks in there. Like it’s all a fever dream. But Sidney is leaning against the counter, with his back towards Zhenya. He’s typing something on his phone, but looks over his shoulder when Zhenya closes the door behind him.

“Ready?” Sidney asks, and pockets his phone. He’s smiling again and Zhenya can’t help but marvel over the width of his shoulders and how massive his thighs are. He’s a lot shorter than Zhenya, but obviously wider. It’s a strange contrast, the strength of his body and the softness of his features.

“Yes, sorry for take long.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Sidney meets his gaze, still smiling. “I sort of surprised you with this, didn’t I?”

Zhenya can only nod at that. “Big surprise.”

Sidney lets out a honk of a giggle. “I hope it’s a good one?”

It’s put like a question, and Zhenya nods again. He’s having dinner with the prettiest man he’s ever seen, how could it be anything but good?

“Sorry, English is hard when so nervous,” Zhenya explains, as he climbs into Sidney’s SUV.

“You’re doing great,” Sidney tells him and looks over at him for a long moment, before he turns his attention to the road, and pulls out of the parking lot.

Sidney wasn’t lying when he said he wasn’t going to take Zhenya somewhere fancy. It’s an ordinary steakhouse, but he seems to be a regular here, because they bring both him and Zhenya to a smaller room in the back, with just a few tables, further apart.

“You go often?” Zhenya asks as he sits down.

Sidney flushes, like he’s been found out. “Probably, yeah. Adam loves their ribs, and I enjoy the steak, so when I don’t feel like cooking, we tend to go here.”

“Is nice,” Zhenya says, and smiles at the waitress when she brings them their menus.

His nerves wear off around his second glass of wine, and halfway through the main course. It’s easier to keep conversation when he isn’t terrified of saying the wrong thing, and Sidney relaxes visibly after that.

“What made you open the shop?” he asks Zhenya when the waitress takes their empty plates.

“I’m go to culinary school and Sasha go to business school. He say we do great business and I’m come to America for this. Sasha live here for years, but for me, is all new when we open up. Is my chance for good life, I’m think. Can’t marry man in Russia, so I’m have to choose: family or maybe love. Mama say I go, live happy life. Maybe they come over.” Zhenya folds the napkin twice, as he speaks, carefully lining up the corners. When he doesn’t get a reply, he looks up to find Sidney staring at him with big, intense eyes.

“That’s... that’s really brave,” Sidney says finally and there’s something raw to him that Zhenya hasn’t seen before.

“I think is only way for happiness.” Zhenya shrugs. “I’m want family, you know.”

“Come home with me,” Sidney says then, out of nowhere.

Zhenya doesn’t have time to reply, until the waitress is back, asking them if they want dessert. When she leaves again, with their orders, the polite smile falls from Sidney’s face and his gaze is so hot and heavy, that there’s no way Zhenya can misunderstand what he means by _coming home_ _with him_.

“Yes,” he hears himself say.

He’s a hopeless romantic and casual sex has never interested him much. But there’s nothing casual about this. Sidney has been a constant part of his life for so long, and Zhenya just told him that he’s here partially because he wants his own family some day. This isn’t just a one time thing.

Sidney has sex with the same intensity as he plays hockey. He’s got Zhenya stripped down and panting within ten minutes from stepping inside the door to his castle of a house. He doesn’t let Zhenya help with the prep, but distracts him with sucking his dick so good that Zhenya is moments away from coming, or maybe dying whichever comes first, when Sidney finally pulls off. He’s proud of himself for still making sure that Sidney comes first, even if it’s just by seconds, before he shakes through his own orgasm.

Sidney kisses him slow and gentle, before he says: “I’m gonna grab a shower. Catch your breath.”

Zhenya listens to the sound of water in the bathroom and he beams, helpless and giddy, at the ceiling. His heart is twice as big as when he woke up this morning, and just a few feet away, is the man he’s rapidly falling for, who just fucked his brains out. Zhenya is a lucky man.

“Your turn,” Sidney says, when he comes back out, a towel wrapped around his waist.

Zhenya doesn’t linger, eager to get back out to Sidney and back into bed. But when he steps back out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but his underwear, his smile drops from his face even before his brain can fully register what’s wrong.

Sidney is sitting on the bed, fully dressed and he’s put the rest of Zhenya’s clothes on the dresser just where Zhenya has stopped dead in his tracks. The fiery passion that was there just minutes ago, is long gone now, and Sidney is solemn, jaw set and his gaze distant as he looks up at Zhenya.

“I have a roadtrip starting tomorrow. The plane leaves early, so maybe it’s best for you if you sleep in your own house.”

Zhenya really should’ve dried himself off better, because he’s cold, shivering now, as the realization of Sidney’s words hit him. He wants to say no, but the tone of Sidney’s voice has already made it clear that there’s no room for discussion.

“Okay.”

He dresses quickly, and the t-shirt is on inside out, but there’s no way he’s taking it off again. Sidney shows him the door, and hesitates as Zhenya buttons his coat.

“I should drive you home.”

“Is fine. Not far.” He lives on the other side of town. Getting into a car with Sidney definitely isn’t an option, though.

“I’ll call you a cab,” Sidney offers and he’s already looking around for his phone.

Zhenya needs to get out of here. “I call cab or take bus. Is fine.”

For every time he says that things are fine, they feel less and less so. He really does plan on calling a cab, but as soon as he starts walking the pressure on his heart eases just a tiny bit.

It’s three-thirty a.m. and Zhenya is cold, his body shaking, as he unlocks the door to the shop. He’ll have to be here in a couple of hours anyway, and now he has time to make up for the cleaning he didn’t do yesterday.

Zhenya thought he stopped crying when he was fourteen. At least over _real life_ things. But as he wipes down the counters and mops the floors, he can’t stop himself from cracking open.

Fuck. He should’ve known better.

He’s red-eyed and heartbroken when Sasha comes into work at seven. He stops dead in the door to the staff room, where Zhenya is bent over the table, chin resting in his hands. Zhenya can only imagine what conclusions he’s drawing.

“What happened?”

He gave up lying to Sasha years ago. “I fell in love with Adam’s dad and he only wanted sex. I was too stupid, I didn’t realize until he threw me out.”

Sasha looks down at the travel mug of coffee in his hand, before he puts it down in front of Zhenya on the table. “Take it from the start,” he says.

And Zhenya does. Every moment from the first note, to the second he found out who Adam’s dad really was, to the crushing realization of being kicked out after sex.

The worst part is that Zhenya has no idea how well he can hide his own heartbreak from Adam. If he ever comes by again, that is. He can’t even blame Sidney, really, can he? He never claimed that it was anything other than a casual thing. He never told Zhenya it was something _more_.

It’s Zhenya who had to go get his big, stupid heart in the way.

The next ten days are grey. It rains constantly and Zhenya can’t remember what a clear sky looks like anymore. He eats ice cream in bed and calls his mom when things get too unbearable. Sasha invites him to dinner twice, which is twice more than ever before.

It’s a Friday morning, barely five-thirty, but the air is already fresher than it has been in almost two weeks. Zhenya sips his coffee, his steps aren’t so heavy this morning, and that’s about time. He’s cut short in his appreciation of the weather, however, when he notices someone sitting on the steps outside the shop’s front door.

He’s wrapped in a thick coat, and with a bag next to him. There’s a travel mug in his gloved hands, too. Zhenya is five steps away when he realizes who it is.

He has a second to think that he should use the back entrance instead, when Sidney looks up and spots him. He’s pale, cold maybe, and his nose is red. How long has he been sitting here?

“Hey,” he says, voice hoarse, and he clears his throat. “It’s okay if you want to kick me out in five minutes, if I could just explain myself first.”

It sounds rehearsed.

The answer to that should be no, right? Why should Zhenya want to listen to anything Sidney has to say? Zhenya has gravitated towards him, though, and when he meets Sidney’s gaze from only a step away. His eyes are pale in the morning sun, but there’s something desperate in them. It reminds Zhenya of the moment Sidney asked him if he’d changed his mind about dinner.

“Okay. Five minute.”

He expects Sidney to get up and demand to be let in. Instead, Sidney takes a sip from his mug and looks down at his shoes, before he says: “I freaked out and kicked you out, because I didn’t know how to handle things. I regretted doing that almost immediately, but I couldn’t come see you—we had such an early flight. I realized I didn’t have your number, so I googled the shop and tried reaching you through that number. I just got ahold of your colleague and he told me to stop calling, well the third time, or he’d hurt me if he ever saw me again.” Sidney chuckles. “I guess I should be glad you got here first, eh?”

Zhenya’s brain is empty and the bitter humor dies from Sidney’s face instantly.

“I’m sorry. That’s what I wanted to say. If I could, I would’ve said that eleven days ago and asked you to come back. I know I hurt you, there’s no excuse. I got scared.”

“Why?”

“Why did I get scared?”

Zhenya nods.

“I—” Sidney trails off and heaves a breath. “I was so taken by your courage, how you left Russia to come here, just so you could live the way you wanted to. That’s why I asked you to come home with me. But as soon as I had two minutes to myself, I…” Sidney bites his lip. “I don’t know if _I’m_ brave enough.”

Sighing, Zhenya sinks down next to Sidney on the steps. It’s cold as hell and he hopes that Sidney hasn’t been sitting here for too long. “Is not same thing, come out for league, for hockey fans.”

“You moved to a new _country_ ,” Sidney points out.

“Is not competition.” Zhenya knocks his knee against Sidney’s. “Maybe you not ready now. Is okay.”

Sidney thumps his head back against the door. “But I want to try and be with you. If you want to give me a second chance.”

Yes. Yes, he wants that. But saying yes now would be foolish, and Zhenya has done enough foolish things the last few weeks to last a lifetime. “Have to think. I’m so hurt, think you only want sex and I’m feel so stupid for feel more. Not saying no, not saying yes. Is okay I think about and let you know?”

Sidney reaches out and squeezes his hand. “Of course that’s okay. I’ll give you my number and you can contact me when you’ve decided.”

They go inside and Zhenya hands over his phone to let Sidney type in his number. There’s a hollow corner of his heart echoing as he watches Sidney smile over his shoulder, eyes distant and closed off, like maybe he’s lost all hope already. He watches Sidney walk towards the parking lot through the window.

What the hell is he doing? A few years back, he might’ve done the same thing, and that was without the pressure of the rest of the world.

“Wait,” Zhenya says, and yanks the door open. “Wait!”

He’s lucky that he doesn’t slip as he rushes after Sidney and catches up just as Sidney reaches his car.

“I decide,” Zhenya says, catching his breath.

Sidney whirls around and his eyes are wet, lashes spiky. Zhenya aches. “What?”

“I decide. Want to try, see where it go.”

“It’s been three minutes,” Sidney points out.

Zhenya shrugs. “Really smart, can think fast.”

A honking giggle escapes Sidney, that seems to surprise him too. “Are you sure?”

Zhenya nods. “Yes. Come home with me?”

“Aren’t you supposed to open soon?”

“We close today.”

Sidney looks good in his bed, in his shitty apartment. He’s sleeping on Zhenya’s chest, his breath ghosting over Zhenya’s skin.

They eat Chinese take out for dinner and Sidney complains the entire time about his meal plan, but he eats Zhenya’s leftovers too when it all comes down to it. And then they have sex again, and share a shower afterwards, and Sidney doesn’t stop kissing him once they’re back in bed, until he pulls back to say:

“We’re not telling my kid until we know for sure. You’re too important.”

“Okay,” Zhenya says and pulls Sidney back down.

“One step at a time,” Sidney says against his lips, before kissing him again.

One step at a time.

 

**◊**

**SIX MONTHS LATER**

“Geno,” Adam sighs where he sits on the counter and watches as Zhenya carefully places the last truffle in the box. “I think Dad’s gonna love you even if I ate one of his truffles. But maybe he’ll stop if we’re late to his party.”

“When you start value truffle over your papa?” Zhenya asks, rolling his eyes, as he holds out a tray of less-than-perfect truffles for Adam to choose from. He can’t exactly give them to Sid for his birthday, but they taste fine and Adam isn’t picky when it’s not a gift to someone else. “Is not party, is dinner. He old.”

Adam giggles. “You’re older.”

Then he glances up at the squirrel card that’s still on the wall. The colors have faded by now from the constant exposure to sunlight. “Last year, did you love Dad the second you got it?”

“Not even know name,” Zhenya says and wraps the box.

“You know, Mom says you’re gonna get married soon.”

Zhenya tries not to think about the ring in his sock drawer and shakes his head. “Still so new.”

“You’re both really old, maybe you should get married before you’re dead.”

Zhenya narrows his eyes at Adam, who grins like he knows he’s just said something _incredibly funny_ (it’s not). He breaks down into a laughing fit when Zhenya hoists him up, dangling him sideways under his arm, still secure against Zhenya’s side. He grabs the box of truffles with his free hand, and heads out to the car.

“Okay we go, or I’m leave you here, starve over weekend.”

Adam is still laughing, apparently fine with having Zhenya carrying him like a dead body. “Ovi will save me.”

“Is what he say, want you to think, in secret he enjoy let kids starve.”

Once in the car, Adam holds the box of truffles dutifully and he’s stopped giggling. Instead, he pins Zhenya down with his most serious look. “Geno, I just want you to know, Dad’s really happy when you’re around.”

Zhenya ruffles his curls and pretends that he isn’t choking up. “I’m most happy when I’m with you both.”

Adam’s mom picks him up around nine that night, when he’s starting to get too tired to do anything other than slump against Zhenya’s side at the table. Both Zhenya and Sid wave him off and as soon as they’ve closed the gates and the door, Sid crowds him up against the wall in the hallway.

“My friends like you a lot,” he says and kisses Zhenya like he’s starting something.

“Most easy to like,” Zhenya says and grins when Sid pulls back to glare at him. He takes the opportunity to kiss the smooth skin behind Sid’s ear. “Get you all to myself tonight.”

“You get me to yourself every night unless I’m on a roadtrip,” Sid says and closes his eyes with a little sigh, as Zhenya’s lips slide down his throat.

“Can’t have sex on floor with Adam in house.”

Sid laughs, breathless. “What are you talking about, we never have sex on the floor anyway.”

“Can tonight.” Zhenya grins and pulls back.

“That sounds really impractical and uncomfortable.”

He’s so in love with this square, stubborn man. “Shh, have to let me pretend we young and exciting. Not old and boring.”

He goes in to kiss Sid again, but Sid pulls back and reaches up to cup Zhenya’s cheek. “I love you.”

**THE END**

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come hang out with me on [tumblr](http://ljummen.tumblr.com)!


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